Roll-off plate



ROLL- OFF PLATE A Filed oct. 21. 1926 s sheets-sheet INVENTOR Y A'ug. 30, 1927. 1,640,957

A. K. MCMILLEN ROLL-OFF'PLA'TE Filed oci. 21. 192e s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Aug. 3), 1927.

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ALBERT K. MCMILLEN, OF PITTSBURGH,v

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL SYLVANIA.

ROLL-OFF PLATE.

Apploationrled October 21, 1926. Serial No. 143,292.

The present invention relates broadly to the art of tube manufacture, and more particularly to roll-ofi' plates suitable for use in the manufacture of tubes. The term tubes is used herein in its generic sense as being deinitive of pipes, conduits, tubes and the like, irrespective of the exact manner of manufacture thereof.

It is customary at the present time in the manufacture of tubes by the butt welding process, for example, to pass the tubes after welding and sizing on to a device termed in the art a roll-olii plate, which plate is effective for delivering them to a cooling rack, conveyor or other desired apparatus.

In view of the rapidity with which tubes are produced with present. day apparatus, and the temperatures at which they are delivered to the roll-oli7 plate, the question of operation of the roll-Gif plate to permit the discharge of the formed tubes at the required intervals and without unnecessary de-` lay, presents quite aproblem. The present invention has for one of its objects the provision of an automatically-operated rollof plate, the operation or" which is controlled by and occurs in timed relation to the delivery of the tubes to the roll-oft' plate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved operating means and improved control means for a rolloff plate of the general character referred to. In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes of illustration certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not deine the limits of my invention as changes in the construction and operation `disclosed therein may be made without departing either from the spirit of the invention or the scope of my broader claims.

in the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic top plan view illustrating one construction embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical connections for the operating mechanism of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevational View, partly in section, illustrating one form of operat ing mechanism;

Figure 4f is a view similar to Figure 3, illustrating another embodiment of the invention; y

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 8 and Il showing still another form of the invention, and I i Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 3, il, and 5 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

lt'will be understood that the present invention is adaptablefor use with tube forming apparatus of any desired character, and that such apparatus constitutes no essential part of the present invention. n Figure 'l l have illustrated in top plan view a roll 2, which,l as customary in the art. may constitute one of a pair of super-imposed rolls between which formed tubes arev delivered to a support 3. one means for feedingl the tubes, or may be he rolls 2 may comprise of such nature as to effect either the sizing or straightening of the tubes or both.

.The tubes after leaving the support 3 pass on .to a laterally inclined plate 4, commonly referred to in the art a roll-olf plate. The tubes are initially deliveret substantially to the central portion or' the plate with respect to its width, and are maintained in position thereon by guards or covers 5 of substantially inverted U-shape. These guaros may each have a bell-shape leadingend 6 for directing the tub'es thereinto, andy may be of any desired dimensions depending upon the tube sizes with which they cooperate. L

There may be any desired number of guards 5 cooperating with a single roll-ott' plate, three of such guards being indicated diagriunmatically in Figure l. These guards may be carried by brackets 7 cooperating with an operating shaft- 8 extending lengthwise of the roll-ofi1 plate and suitably mounted adjacent one edgeV thereof. Cooperating with this operating shaft are suitable counterbalancing means herin illustrated. as comprising arms 9 carrying weights l0 adjustable thereon.

Vith the construction shown, the relative weights of the .guards and counterweights will be such that normally the guards will overbalance the counterweights and remain CII in cooperative relation to the roll-oil plate. ln this position they are ei'lective lor receiving a tube delivered by the roll or rolls 2, and Yl'or holding the same until the shaift 8 is rocked to elevate them and permit the .dis charge thereof. Due to the rapidity with which trie tubes are delivered, l have provided means 'for ellecting the operation of the guards automatically. T his meansis illustrated diagrammaticaily in Figure l as comprising a solenoid ll, the armature ot which is operatively connected by a suitable link structure l2 with one ot the arms 9, whereby upon energizing the solenoid the guards will be lifted. l

The exact construction oit the operating meins may be varied as required, Figures 3 to (3, both inclusive, being illus rative ot dii'- ferent embodiments lor this purpose. ln `Figure 3 the roll-oii plate 4t is illustrated as being mounted on an i'istable support i3 whereby the exact elevation oit the roll-ell plate required ttor proper reception et the tubes may be obtained. rlie arm 9 secured to the guard 5 is illustrated as connected by a link le to the cross head 15 carried by guides 1G mounted igor vertical movement in the heads i7 ot a solenoid 18. llormally the parts occupy the position illustrated in solid lines in this figure with the core i9 projecting a substantial distance out ot the center ofthe n'iagneticfield o't the solenoid. Upon energizing the solenoid the parts will be moved to the chain line position shown, whereby the guide or guides 5 will be raised to permit the discharge oi a tube therefrom. Upon deenei'gization ot the solenoid, the parts will automatically return by gravity to the position indicated in solid lines.

ln the 'loi-m ol the invention illustrated in Figure t, the guide 5a is provided with counterbalancing means 10m, the weight ot the. respective parts being such, however, that normally the guide will occupy the full line position ot' this ligure. Projecting through the roll-oil plate la is a push rod 20 pivotally secured to VVa link 21 oi non-magnetic material projecting` Jfrom the core 22. lWhen the solenoid 23 is energized, the core 22 vwill move upwardly and effect a corresponding movement of the guide into the dotted line position shown.

ln Figure 5 the guide 5b, is shown as having its arm 9b connected by a link 24; to a disc 25 having a suitable pivotal mounting 26.

tance at will in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in this gure, it is provided with a tooth 27 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 28 normally held in engagement therewith by a spring 29. The paw] is pivotally secured to an arm BO, moved about the axis of the mounting 26 and operated by a link 3l operatively secured to the core 32 of a solenoid 33. From the foregoing description, the operation of the parts upon supplying current to the solenoid will be apparent.

lu Figure 6, the guide 5c is illustrated as having its arm 9C formed with a slot 34 adapted to receive a pin 35 projecting laterally from a trame 36 straddling the rod Si', )rejecting upwardly from the core 38. rliie `trame S6 carries pivotally mounted pawls 39 normally urged one toward the other into engagement with recessestt) by means et a spring il. lWhen the solenoid 42 is energized, it will draw its core 38 downwardly against the action ot the spring 43 and swing the guide 5C to its dotted line position. it substantially the completion o't the ['Iownward movement ot the core the lower ends oi the pawls 59 will engage the stops #il whereby they will be swung against thev action oic the spring il out of engagement 'r l1 l with [ne recesses flO. This will release the i und permit the guide tov return by vity to its original position ready for ie reception oit the next length of tube.

For energizing the solenoids in proper 'timed relation to the delivery oi the tube i':

to the roll-oli' plate, there may be provided a. spring biased i'lag l5 lying in the path of the tubes and adapted to be engaged there by, even ait'ter the tubes have started to move from the roll-oiil plate. This flag is secured to a shaft i6 which shaft carries a projecting arm 47 on which is pivotally mounted a spring pressed pawl 48 'lor co-V operation with the ratchet teeth 49, on a contact arm 50. The relation of the parts is such that each pipe will move the 'flag Li5 such a distance as to rotate the shaft l5 suiiiciently to advance the contact arm 50 the distance between the adjacent contacts with which it cooperates. Each third contact 5l, as indicated in Figure 2, is neutral and represents the olll position or' the parts. As the shaft 4S is rotated in a` counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, the arm 50 will leave the contact 5l and move into engagement with one of the contacts O. All or these contacts O are connected to a wire 52 leading to one side or a magnet 53, the opposite side of which has a connection 54 with the line wire L leading 'from suitable source ot current. Connected to the line wire i] is a lead 55 in electrical conducting relationship with the shaft 46,

wherebyV with the arm 50 in engagement with one ot the contacts O, the circuit to the For rotatingl the disc a uredetermined dismagnet 53 will be closed. This will attract the armature 56 which cooperates with a double pole, double-throw switch 56 connected to the line wires L rand L in such manner that the solenoid S, corresponding to the solenoids 1l, 18. 23, 33, and 42 heretofore referred to, will be energized with a current flow in one direction. rlhe arm 50 will only remain in engagement with the contact O for a very brietn space of time,

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onward travel of the tube sutlieiently to bring the arm into engagement with one et the contacts R. In the meantime, however, the energization of the solenoid S will have released the tube. The engagement between the arm 50 and one of the contacts It will result in 'energizing the magnet v57 which has a connection 58 with the line wire L and a connection 59 with the contacts R and in turn through them and the arm 50 to the line wire L. This will result in moving the switch 56 in the opposite direction whereby the current flow through the solenoid will be reversed for an instant to insure a return movement of the guides by hastening the collapse of the field of the solenoid and any fields et residual magnetism. The movement of the arm 5() will continue by reason of the contact of the flag 45 by the tube until the arm 50 reaches the following contact 5l in which the parts are in neutral position. Thereafter, the next tube will ell'ect `another cycle of operations similar to thatdescribed.

Certain advantages of the present inven* tion arise from the provision of a roll-off plate adapted to receive tubes as rapidly formed and constructed to' retain such tubes for a predetermined length of time only.

Still other advantages of the present invention arise from the provision of a rolloli plate provided with guides vautomatically operated in predetermined time relation to the delivery ot' tubes thereto.

I claim:

l. In a tube making apparatus, a roll-off plate, guiding means cooperating therewith andmovable to inoperative position, electrical means for operating said guiding' means, and a control mechanism for said electrical means adapted to be operated by the tubes delivered to said roll-oli plate, said control mechanism being movable successively to an energizing position, a reverse position and a. neutral position under the ii'itluence ot each tube. f

2. The combination with a. roll-oli1 plate, roll-oil plate cover guide and an operating electro-responsive device for the cover guide, oi' a control mechanism for causing the electro-responsive device to vfollow a predetermined sequence o'l' operations in response to the position of material on the roll-off plate.

3. The combination with a roll-oil;l plate and a roll-o plate cover guide adapted to receive a bodyk of material for movement thereacross, of an electro-responsive colntrolling mechanism :tor the roll-oil plate cover guide that is successively operable to perform a succession of operations in accordance with the position of the material on the roll-ofi plate.

4. The combination with aA roll-oli" plate, a roll-ott plate cover guide and a member actuated by material resting upon the rolloiiqv plate, of a control apparatus for the cover guide comprising a contacter having a plurality of stationary contacting members and an arm that is movable to engage a predetermined number of the stationary contacting members in response to the position of the material on the roll-oitl plate.

rIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT K. MCMILLEN. 

